MailOptin vs WP Popups (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MailOptin and WP Popups share a 2.2 GPA, both have a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on whether you care more about the free plan, where MailOptin grades higher, or value for money, where WP Popups does.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
WP Popups
WordPress popup plugin with a free edition and paid licenses
Which one is for you
Pick MailOptin if
- Fits if you run WordPress and want popups and newsletters from one plugin
- Works for a small list that can live on the free Lite edition
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if your site is not on WordPress
- Watch out: premium prices could not be read, so check them before you plan around Pro
- Not for you if you want spam protection with reCAPTCHA or Turnstile for free: it is premium
- Watch out: some broadcast audiences, such as membership or course plugin users, need the Pro version
Pick WP Popups if
- Fits if you run one WordPress site and want a plugin, not a hosted tool
- Works for a site that wants popups tied to a form plugin it already uses
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if your site is not on WordPress
- Not for you if you want exit intent for free: it is paid
- Pricey if you need several sites, since 5 sites is $199 a year and 10 is $399
- Watch out: the page calls prices introductory and mentions renewal at a different price, so what you pay in year two is unclear
- Watch out: Zapier, geolocation and scheduler add-ons start on Pro at $399
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAMailOptinFair | 2.2GPAWP PopupsFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo paid price could be read, since the vendor's pricing page was behind a bot check, so we have nothing to grade against and it sits at the ordinary C. | B$70 a year for one site, about $5.83 a month, which is inside the cheapest quarter of popup tools. Five-site, ten-site and unlimited tiers jump to $199, $399 and $599 a year. |
| Free plan and trial | BMailOptin Lite is free on WordPress.org with popups, before and after post opt-ins, sidebar forms, page-level targeting and new-post emails. One person could run a small list on it. | CThe free edition has templates and display filters, but exit intent, premium triggers and positions are paid. There is no trial, only a 30-day money-back guarantee. |
| Features | CPopups, forms, targeting, broadcasts and mail-service integrations in one plugin. The WordPress.org listing says reCAPTCHA or Turnstile spam protection and several conversion actions are premium, and some broadcast audiences need Pro. | CDisplay filters, exit intent, form-plugin support and an A/B testing add-on. The listing shows gaps: most email integrations are add-ons tied to the higher plans. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. It is a plugin you install and wire to an email service, with forms to build. | CNo store rating on record. You install a plugin, build a popup and set rules. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWordPress only. It lists Mailchimp, AWeber, Constant Contact, ActiveCampaign, HubSpot, Brevo and Kit, but there is no app outside the site. | COnly works inside WordPress. It lists WPForms, Gravity Forms, Contact Form 7, Mailchimp and Zapier. |
| Best for | a free WordPress popup and newsletter plugin | WordPress popups with a free edition |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: MailOptin and WP Popups. How we grade
Where they differ
- MailOptin also covers email campaigns.
- WP Popups also covers a/B testing.
At a glance
| MailOptin | WP Popups | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $70 per year for 1 site |
| Free plan | MailOptin Lite is free on WordPress.org, with popups, before and after post opt-ins, sidebar forms, page-level targeting and new-post notification emails. | Free edition on WordPress.org with popup templates and display filters; premium rules, triggers, positions and exit intent are paid. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | MailOptin | Linsila LLC |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | wppopups.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
MailOptin
- Premium prices could not be read: the vendor's site answered with a bot check, so pricing is unverified.
- Runs only inside WordPress.
- Spam protection with reCAPTCHA or Turnstile and several conversion actions are premium-only, per the WordPress.org listing.
- The listing says some broadcast audiences, such as membership and course plugin users, need the Pro version.
WP Popups
- Runs only inside WordPress.
- The page calls the listed prices introductory (50% off) and says renewals are the regular price minus 30%, but also shows 'then $599/yr'; renewal is unclear.
- Most email integrations are add-ons tied to higher plans, though add-ons can also be bought separately.
- There is no free trial; the vendor offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Key features
MailOptin
- Popups and opt-in forms
- Lightbox popups, before and after post opt-ins, sidebar widget forms, notification bars and slide-ins.
- Page-level targeting
- Show a form on chosen posts and pages.
- New-post notification emails
- Automatic newsletters when a post is published, limited by category or tag, sent to registered users or chosen roles.
- Broadcasts and scheduling
- One-off emails to registered users with scheduling.
- Email platform integrations
- Connects with services including Mailchimp, AWeber, Constant Contact, ActiveCampaign, HubSpot and Brevo.
WP Popups
- Display filters
- Show popups on chosen pages, templates or posts, by user role, referrer, device type or logged-in status.
- Exit intent and triggers
- Premium triggers and exit-intent popups are in the paid licenses.
- Form plugin support
- Works with form plugins such as WPForms, Gravity Forms, Ninja Forms and Contact Form 7.
- Email add-ons
- Add-ons connect Mailchimp, Constant Contact, ActiveCampaign, AWeber, GetResponse and MailerLite, with higher plans covering more of them.
- A/B tests add-on
- Split testing of popups, included from the Basic plan.
Plans
MailOptin
Pricing could not be confirmed. See mailoptin.io.
WP Popups
Free$0
Free edition from WordPress.org. Add-ons can be bought separately and used with it.
Basic$70
per year for 1 site
Unlimited popups, premium rules, triggers and positions, exit intent, A/B tests add-on, Mailchimp and Constant Contact add-ons.
Plus$199
per year for 5 sites
Everything in Basic plus add-ons for MailPoet, Newsletter, ActiveCampaign, AWeber, GetResponse and MailerLite.
Pro$399
per year for 10 sites
Everything in Plus plus Zapier, login, leaving notice, geolocation and scheduler add-ons, and premium support.
Agency$599
per year for unlimited sites
Everything in Pro, unlimited sites and a pass for all future add-ons.
Ways to pay less
MailOptin
No public discounts listed.
WP Popups
- Other savings
Introductory 50% off the first year
The pricing page shows each license at half its regular price, for example Basic at $35 instead of $70, as special introductory pricing. The renewal price is not stated consistently on the page.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MailOptin or WP Popups?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MailOptin has no price we could confirm, and WP Popups starts at $70 per year for 1 site.
Which has a free plan, MailOptin or WP Popups?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both MailOptin and WP Popups have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.